My goal

This is how I would like to be, in my whole heart, someday, by the grace of God:

But I am like an olive tree

     flourishing in the house of God;

I trust in God's unfailing love

     for ever and ever.

          ~Psalm 52:8

Prayer

I haven't been writing so much here, but I am doing great on my reading through the Bible.

During 2012, I had been keeping right on schedule to read all the way through the Bible in one year and finish on December 31.  This would have been the 4th or 5th time I read through the Bible, but it would have been the very first time I had accomplished it in a year.

God likes to keep His children humble.

When I got a job this past fall, it seriously affected my ability to keep up with my Bible reading schedule.

When I was unable to keep up with my job due to health and family issues and needed to resign, I got back on track with my personal Bible reading.  I think it is amazing the way this worked out:  I will finish on Good Friday next week.

Often as I read, I have a thought and want to come here and write about it.  However, the realities of life are keeping me from much writing.  God is in control.  If He wants me to write something, He will provide everything I need: inspiration, motivation and time.

In the meantime, the circumstances of my life are moving me to pray.  A lot.  And something interesting has happened to my prayer life... God has been convicting me of fretting.  I tend to fret quite a lot.  Often my prayers are simply an expression of the fretting that goes on in my head and heart.  But God has brought to mind a passage:

Matthew 6:7-8 (NIV--Jesus speaking)
"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

I do not need to keep asking God for the same things over and over.  He heard the first time.  He always hears, and He never forgets.

I do not need to worry that God will not take care of me, or that He will neglect a detail because I did not mention it to Him.  He is in control; I am not.

My Father in Heaven knows everything.  He knows everything in the past, the present and the future.  He is perfect in wisdom and never makes a mistake.  He is on my side, and He has more than enough power always to bring His perfect will to pass.  This is my God, and Jesus tells me that He knows what I need before I ask Him.

When I pray, Jesus brings this passage to my mind first.  Then I start praying through The Lord's Prayer:  "My Father in heaven, holy is Your Name."  This gets me thinking about who He is and what He is like, which leads me to pray through the attributes of God.  Alphabetically, the first one I always come to is, "God is Able."  God is able.

God is able.

Often, that is enough, right there.  How I love Him.

One for me

I have a nasty habit of venting.  I feel that I have the right (I don't, but sometimes our feelings get in the way; at least sometimes mine do).

This morning God gave me a gentle spank...

Proverbs 29:11

A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
    but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Duly chastised.